I will "give the devil his due" and say he is cunning. Satan knows to divide and conquer. He knows a house divided against itself cannot stand. He knows there is strength in unity. Why don't God's people seem to know that? God's people seem hell-bent on making Satan's work so easy. We hand him our strength on a silver platter. He trembles at the thought of God's people being unified. If anything gives him nightmares, it is the thought of the Kingdom of God being unified.
Sadly, there seems to be a growing chasm of division in God's people on racial and political lines. Those feelings and attitudes that stay buried in "peaceful times" have bubbled to the surface in recent years, fueled by high profile events. Of course, I have opinions and strong feelings about those events, but my opinions are my own and not part of my purpose right now. I am a Kingdom Citizen, an ambassador. God's word is my constitution and I should speak the words of my King. His laws are written in the Bible and that should be my guide. We have a greater purpose and that needs to be our focus.
Do we just put up with the racism and injustices of the world? No! But first and foremost God's people must be united. We will never change the world as long as there is division among us. We must first examine ourselves, change the attitudes that create division and find a common ground with other believers who may not agree with everything we say and do. We must be mature enough to accept a differing opinion without thinking they are our enemy. We must also recognize some of Satan's tools in bringing division:
Stereotyping--When we group people together and assign specific characteristics to them we are stereotyping. We have all done it at sometime...it is part of those "first truths" we learn very early. As an adult, we must evaluate those "first truths" we learned from our parents and other adults who molded us. If it doesn't line up with God's Word, it isn't truth. We hear stereotyping in jokes and in insulting comments. When we stereotype, we dehumanize people. We no longer see the individual with their unique traits. When we dehumanize "them" we can become prejudiced against them. After all, "they" aren't like "us"...right?
When we label one a villain and another an angel we remove truth from the equation because truth is found somewhere in the middle. We are human and no one is perfect.
Prejudice--an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason; unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a hostile nature, regarding a racial, religious, or national group. Prejudice goes hand-in-hand with stereotyping. Stereotyping feeds prejudice.
Racism--a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. This deceives people into believing they have the "right" to mistreat, abuse and even kill people because they are "superior".
We hate to see injustice and evil prevail, but we cannot change the world until God's people mature, put their differences behind them and show the world a united front--one Kingdom under God. We must lead the world by example. The world laughs at Christians. We are a joke when we can't even get along with other Christians. Satan doesn't need to destroy us, he just sits back and laughs as we destroy each other! We are fighting the wrong enemy.
Remember the Michael Jackson song, Man in the Mirror? True words!
Sadly, there seems to be a growing chasm of division in God's people on racial and political lines. Those feelings and attitudes that stay buried in "peaceful times" have bubbled to the surface in recent years, fueled by high profile events. Of course, I have opinions and strong feelings about those events, but my opinions are my own and not part of my purpose right now. I am a Kingdom Citizen, an ambassador. God's word is my constitution and I should speak the words of my King. His laws are written in the Bible and that should be my guide. We have a greater purpose and that needs to be our focus.
Do we just put up with the racism and injustices of the world? No! But first and foremost God's people must be united. We will never change the world as long as there is division among us. We must first examine ourselves, change the attitudes that create division and find a common ground with other believers who may not agree with everything we say and do. We must be mature enough to accept a differing opinion without thinking they are our enemy. We must also recognize some of Satan's tools in bringing division:
Stereotyping--When we group people together and assign specific characteristics to them we are stereotyping. We have all done it at sometime...it is part of those "first truths" we learn very early. As an adult, we must evaluate those "first truths" we learned from our parents and other adults who molded us. If it doesn't line up with God's Word, it isn't truth. We hear stereotyping in jokes and in insulting comments. When we stereotype, we dehumanize people. We no longer see the individual with their unique traits. When we dehumanize "them" we can become prejudiced against them. After all, "they" aren't like "us"...right?
When we label one a villain and another an angel we remove truth from the equation because truth is found somewhere in the middle. We are human and no one is perfect.
Prejudice--an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason; unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a hostile nature, regarding a racial, religious, or national group. Prejudice goes hand-in-hand with stereotyping. Stereotyping feeds prejudice.
Racism--a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. This deceives people into believing they have the "right" to mistreat, abuse and even kill people because they are "superior".
We hate to see injustice and evil prevail, but we cannot change the world until God's people mature, put their differences behind them and show the world a united front--one Kingdom under God. We must lead the world by example. The world laughs at Christians. We are a joke when we can't even get along with other Christians. Satan doesn't need to destroy us, he just sits back and laughs as we destroy each other! We are fighting the wrong enemy.
Remember the Michael Jackson song, Man in the Mirror? True words!
I'm Starting With The Man In the Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change
Want to change the world and root out injustice and prejudice? Start with yourself. Examine your "first truths"...we all have them. Change your mind. Resolve to nip those stereotypical thoughts in the bud. Then walk in love and show patience, understanding and kindness when fellow believers disagree with your opinions. First and foremost, use God's Word as your new "first truth".
There is only one race, the human race and we are a part of the Kingdom of God...we must represent Him well to the world. In the Kingdom of God there is no racism or injustice! ~~~Be blessed! Arlene
There is only one race, the human race and we are a part of the Kingdom of God...we must represent Him well to the world. In the Kingdom of God there is no racism or injustice! ~~~Be blessed! Arlene
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